david.watkis.blog

At long last, 2016 has finally come to an end and the new year could not begin quickly enough. As rough as the past 12 months have been, it’s important to remember that we have some very challenging times ahead, but for a few hours on December 31st we can be forgiven for setting our worries aside and celebrating the positive things in our lives.

With that in mind, I headed into Manhattan on Saturday evening (which is rare for me on NYE) to meet up with some friends and ring in the new year. Along the way, I stumbled across the ‘Flatiron Sky-Line‘ art instillation which brings LED-illuminated hammocks to the public plaza…just in time for the bitter cold of winter. That didn’t seem to stop groups of people from kicking up their feet, taking selfies, and, I assume, avoiding Times Square as any sane person would.

My friends and I had dinner reservations in the neighborhood to chow down on some muscles and be within arms reach of the requisite tequila shot at midnight, but first it was time for martinis and snacks at their place, and of course some quality time with my favorite puppy.

Dinner was great as were the house cocktails, but my documentarian skills fell to the wayside at some point. I think what follows is the moment the clock struck 12:00am. You could argue that it’s a blurry photo, but that’s pretty much how I remember it at the time as well  🙂

At some point we ended up at a penthouse office party for more drinks, a glimpse of the fireworks in the Hudson, and some nausea-inducing time with a VR headset. It was actually really fun and one of those situations that makes you appreciate the uniqueness of being in New York.

Eventually it was time to head back to Brooklyn, though what time that was exactly I’m not certain. Since my most recent camera acquisition I’ve discovered that late night rides on the subway have become one of my favorite places to shoot. The lighting and the people are always conducive to interesting photos and, for the most part, no one seems to mind if you snap a few candids of them during their commute.

Happy New Year!